AZ Air Conditioning and Heating Blog : Archive for June, 2015

The thermostat acts as the control board for your heating and air conditioning system, allowing you to tailor the indoor temperature to fit your comfort levels. That involves a series of different tasks: detecting the existing temperature accurately, turning the system on and off to correct it, and knowing when the air conditioner or heater has done its work. In Los Angeles, CA, you can’t afford to wait long to call a repair technician when problems arise: not with triple-degree temperatures bearing down on us almost every day. Here are some common problems with your thermostat you should look for.

A centralized air system cools the air in a single place, then relies on a system of ducts to get it into your home. A fan blows the air through the ducts and out of a series of vents in your household. Because ducts don’t usually have moving parts (unless you have a zone control system installed), they don’t suffer breakdowns as often as the central unit does. But they still encounter problems from time to time, and those problems can have a devastating effect on your home comfort levels. Here in Los Angeles, that means a great deal, especially when the heat index rises and summer hits us like a ton of bricks. The more readily you can spot the common problems associated with your ducts, the faster you can respond to them.

Los Angeles, CA is well-known for its scorching heat, and we’re essentially a desert community, which means the air can get very dry as well (especially in the winter). But we also have periods of high humidity, when the air is muggy and it feels 10 degrees warmer than it actually is. That can have a huge impact on your household comfort level, as much or more than the temperature itself. A trained technician can install a humidifier and/or a dehumidifier to regulate indoor air quality in your household. But it helps to understand how variations in humidity affect your home, and those living in it.

Air conditioners depend on refrigerant to do their job. The term refers to a variety of chemicals which shift from gaseous to liquid form very easily, and pull heat from the nearby air (or add heat to the nearby air) as they do so. Specific types of refrigerant vary depending on the type of air conditioner, but the basics of how they use refrigerant remain basically the same. It circulates through a closed loop, creating cool air in the process before that air gets blown into your house through ducts via a fan. Theoretically, refrigerant is not supposed to leak, but sometimes it does, and when it does it can cause severe problems with the system. Our summers in Los Angeles, CA are too hot to let such a problem wait. But how can you detect leaking refrigerant? Here are 3 ways.

Los Angeles, CA relies on air conditioners every summer to keep our homes and businesses comfortable when the temperature outside soars. Air conditioning has changed our lives in numerous ways, and yet despite that, comparatively few people understand how it actually works. The more homeowners know about their system, the more readily they can perceive potential problems and the faster they’ll call in a professional to resolve them. That can make a huge difference not only in getting your air conditioner fixed quickly, but doing so before a small problem becomes a much bigger (and more expensive) one. Here’s a quick primer on how air conditioning systems work.

Los Angeles, CA, is a hot city and we’re not just talking about movie stars. Temperatures can often climb into the triple digits and our summer heat waves can be absolutely excruciating. But while a good air conditioning system can keep you cool and comfortable, there’s another factor involved in keeping your home comfortable: humidity. We don’t think about humidity levels here in LA the way they do in the Midwest or the Deep South, but it can affect your comfort levels in numerous ways. The more you know about them, the better you can prepare for the effects they have on your home.